“The Courtship of Miles Standish” deals with a supreme moment in the
history of our nation, the moment when the harassed and thrice-winnowed
little band of Puritans began to establish themselves and their
institutions on these shores. In the belief that the poem will be
better understood and appreciated both as poetry and as history if some
of the traits and the struggles of this people are called to mind, a
few words regarding them will here be given.
Though the sovereigns of England under whose auspices the movement
known as the Reformation was carried through, severed connection
with the Church of Rome, they did not bring about a thorough reform
in matters of faith and church service. Hence there arose in England
parties holding conflicting views regarding the correctness and
propriety of the practices and ceremonies still in vogue. The
Established Church still retained much that, in the opinion of the
more radical element, should be removed. These differences of opinion
exhibited various degrees of radicalism and conservatism. Those who
were unwilling to conform to the regulations of the Church of England
were styled “Non-conformists,” and, on account of their efforts in the
direction of further purification, they became known as “Puritans.”
There were still others who believed in carrying the reform so far as
to separate the church from the state, and to reach independence in
church government: these were the “Independents.”
The Established Church was supported by secular authority, so that in
all disputes it had on its side the king and the arm of the law. In
many cases it exercised its power in bitter persecution of those who
showed a tendency to depart from its teachings. The Puritans were, as
one historian says, “pursued into their hiding-places with relentless
fury,” so that many individuals sought voluntary exile, and whole
assemblages looked for some place in far countries where they could
worship according to conscience and to the light they found in the
Bible.
Such a party of persecuted Puritans chose as leaders one of their
ministers, John Robinson, and their ruling elder, William Brewster, and
resolved to seek refuge and religious liberty in Holland. This country
was selected on account of its friendly attitude towards Calvinism, a
view which harmonized with those of the Puritans; and also on account
of the near relations which England as an ally of Holland sustained to
this country.
Their first attempt at leaving England (1607) was anticipated and
prevented by the magistrates; but the following spring they made a
second attempt, which was so far successful that the officers of the
crown succeeded only in seizing and detaining some helpless women and
children. These were, however, later on set at liberty and permitted to
embark. At first these Pilgrims, as they came to be called, settled in
Amsterdam, but in 1609 they removed to Leyden, where their number was
constantly increased by new arrivals from England. In Holland, though
they gained the confidence and respect of the Dutch, their condition
was not entirely satisfactory. Brought up as tillers of the soil, they
could not become entirely reconciled to the trades and handicrafts
which they were now necessitated to learn. Moreover, they felt that
the Dutch language could not become a homelike speech to them. There
was also, deep in their hearts, a devout patriotism, which first led
them to think of establishing themselves in some of the colonies under
English rule.
The first step, they saw, was to decide on a suitable locality in the
New World. After making such investigations as they could, they planned
to locate in the territory which King James granted to the Plymouth
Company in 1606. But before they were ready to embark, two other grave
problems confronted them, and it took years before these were solved.
Would they in the king’s dominions be allowed religious freedom and be
undisturbed in their worship? Representatives of their congregation
visited England for the purpose of trying to get the king’s guarantee
to this effect. In presenting their request they stated they were
willing to promise “obedience in all things, active if the thing
commanded be not against God’s word, or passive if it be.” They were
disappointed of obtaining the pledge they sought; and left with nothing
more encouraging or definite than an assurance that so long as they
gave no offense they should not be disturbed.
The other problem was that of finding the means necessary for
the enterprise. After lengthy negotiations, during which several
propositions were rejected as impracticable, they formed a compact
with some London merchants that had become interested in the American
fisheries. These merchants, in return for services to be rendered by
the Pilgrims, furnished money for the passage, stipulating that all
profits were to be “reserved till the end of seven years, when the
whole amount, and all lands and fields, were to be divided among the
share-holders according to their respective interests.”
The two vessels that had been provided could not carry the entire
congregation, and so it was determined that “the youngest and strongest
who freely offered themselves” should leave. Their head and leader
was Brewster, the governing elder. Robinson, the spiritual elder, it
was decided, should follow later with the others if the reports were
favorable.
After solemn fasts and worship, in which they invoked the blessing of
God and commended themselves to his guidance, the Pilgrims set sail
from Holland. They touched at Southampton, England, and a fortnight
later started westward for the shores of America. The two vessels
on which they were embarked were the _Speedwell_, of sixty tons
burden, and the _Mayflower_, of one hundred and eighty tons. After
some distance at sea, the Speedwell was found to leak, and they were
compelled to return to port at Dartmouth for repairs. After a delay
of a week they were again under way, and once more the captain of the
Speedwell signaled distress, claiming that his vessel was not in a
_seaworthy_ condition. This necessitated their return to Plymouth;
the Speedwell was abandoned, and such of her passengers as could be
accommodated were transferred to the Mayflower.
On the sixth day of September, 1620, the Mayflower with one hundred
and two passengers besides her crew started alone. After a voyage of
over two months they hove in sight of the sandy shore of Cape Cod,
Massachusetts. Filled with the responsibility of their enterprise,
they met in the cabin, drafted and signed the following solemn compact
before going on shore:
“In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are here underwritten, the
loyal subjects of our dread sovereign, King James, by the grace of
God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the
Faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God and advancement
of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage
to plant the first colony in the northern part of Virginia, do,
by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God
and of one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a
civil body politic for our better ordering and preservation, and
in the furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to
enact, constitute and frame just and equal laws, ordinances, acts,
constitutions, and offices, from time to time as shall be thought
most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto
which we promise all due submission and obedience.
“In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape
Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign
lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth,
and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, _Anno Domini_ 1620.”
In order still further to perfect the arrangements for governing the
colony, they unanimously chose John Carver as their governor for one
year.
The season was already far advanced, so that it was about the middle
of November before they had begun to explore the coast or to choose
a place for the settlement. As the shallop was found to be in need
of repair, Captain Miles Standish, Bradford and others, determined to
explore the country by land. Their first attempts to “spy the country”
were made during exceedingly severe weather. “It snowed and did blow
all night, and froze withal.” Nothing of an encouraging nature could
be found along the beach nor on the fields, which now lay half a foot
thick with snow. A heap of maize which had been concealed by the
Indians was discovered. It was a welcome find, as it helped to eke out
the scanty stores of the Pilgrims. It must be added that, though Miles
Standish took this, he scrupulously resolved to pay the owners as soon
as they could be found; and six months later he found an opportunity to
render payment.
On December 8, shortly after their morning prayers were finished, the
party was attacked by a hostile tribe of the Nausites, “who knew the
English only as kidnappers.” Fortunately, the Indians were driven off
without doing any damage to the settlers. The exploring party spent
four weeks in searching for a suitable place. During this time they
suffered greatly from exposure to the rain, snow, and sleet. Sometimes
their garments were frozen stiff like coats of mail. It was often
difficult or impossible to kindle a fire on the snow-covered fields,
where the fuel, whatever they found, was damp and soggy. At one time,
in the midst of a violent snow-storm, the rudder of the shallop broke,
and also the mast, so that they were in extreme danger of being dashed
to pieces among the breakers. It was through these severe exposures
that many of them contracted the diseases that carried away such a
large part of them during the first winter.
On December 11th the explorers landed on the historical spot of
Plymouth Rock. The Mayflower, shortly afterwards, cast anchor in the
harbor. The men went on shore, and set to work to build houses and to
provide shelter against the winter. Their labor was made arduous by the
inclement weather, and by the fact that about one-half of the settlers
were sick, some of them wasting away with consumption and lung fever.
As protection against the Indians, who were occasionally seen hovering
near, they formed themselves into a military organization, with
Miles Standish as captain. Their relations with the Indians were,
however, so fair and honest that even these must have observed some
singular differences between the Pilgrims and earlier traders on the
coast. Early in the spring, Samoset, an Indian, visited them with the
view evidently of ascertaining whether they were disposed to form
acquaintance and to establish friendship with his people. This led to
a visit by the powerful chief _Massasoit_ himself. He was received and
entertained by the Pilgrims in a way that inspired his confidence,
resulting finally in a sort of defensive alliance between the settlers
and his tribe. He later on rendered valuable services, particularly by
giving warning of the massacre planned by the Narragansetts against the
settlers at Weymouth.
On the fifth of April, 1621, the Mayflower started on her return voyage
to England. Notwithstanding the hardships suffered by the colonists
that first and dreadful winter, not one of them returned. As spring and
summer came on, conditions improved. The streams abounded with fish
and the forests with game. In the autumn they were again visited by
Massasoit, and feasted him and ninety of his men. The Narragansetts
alone were not friendly. Their chief, Canonicus, sent over a bundle
of arrows wrapped in the skin of a rattlesnake, thereby avowing his
intentions of war. Bradford sent back the skin stuffed with powder
and shot; and it appears that this prompt acceptance of the challenge
made the chief hesitate, for he became willing to sue for peace. This
incident, which Longfellow has used, took place in 1622. Another
incident also used took place the following year. One of the London
merchants, thinking to increase his profits, sent over sixty unmarried
men, who formed a settlement which they called Weymouth. These people
soon found themselves in want, and intruded for a considerable time
upon the people of Plymouth. They were indolent; they plundered the
Indians, and these formed a plot to destroy the entire colony. But
Massasoit revealed their designs to the Puritan settlers. These sent a
force under the intrepid Miles Standish, who succeeded in preventing
the calamity.
The Plymouth Colony and its far-reaching results have been depicted by
every writer of American history. This sketch requires only that we
present the general traits of the people and the merest outline of the
incidents that Longfellow has brought into the poem; it is therefore
not necessary for the present purpose to follow the narrative further.
* * * * *
“The Courtship of Miles Standish” was published in 1858. Longfellow has
in this poem again made use of the hexameter; but though it is the same
metre as that of “Evangeline,” it presents some important differences.
With the purpose of modifying the stern Puritan mood, he has given
the metre a lighter movement, which also harmonizes with the touches
of humor occasionally introduced. As to the content of the poem, the
author has used the facts and incidents recounted in the old Puritan
records, and faithfully woven them into a true historic picture, a
picture none the less faithful because the poet has slightly deviated
from the annals in the sequence of some events. Miles Standish, John
Alden, and Priscilla are there giving it reality by acting out the
story--an old human story; but when these are allowed to drop out of
sight, that which remains is the realization of a people, the Puritans,
a people of indomitable determination and of uncompromising loyalty to
conscience and to God.